Document case



March 3, 1942. P, D. BARRETT DOCUMENT CASE INVENTOR Pau/D. Barre/i FiledJan. 31, 1940 Patented Mar. 3, 1942 DOCUMENT CASE I Paul D. Barrett, SanFrancisco, Calif., assignor of one-half to Lois B. Crown, Washington, D.0.

Application January 31, 1940, Serial No. 316,567

1 Claim.

My invention relates to means for receiving and storing in order flatpapers, documents, pamphlets, charts, maps and the like, and isconcerned especially with such a document case which will occupy a verysmall space when not in use, yet which is effective to present any ofthe contained documents readily for use and which likewise will serve asa work table on which such documents, maps, papers and the like can bespread for reference.

An object of my invention is to provide a document case which is readilyfabricated and which is relatively inexpensive.

Another object of my invention is in general to improve document cases.

In its preferred form, the document case of my invention includes abaseboard adapted to be secured to an upright, such as a wall, and beingprovided with a ledge. Hingedly mounted with respect to the baseboard isa cover which is substantially coextensive with the baseboard and isadapted to move from closed position against the baseboard to openposition at an angle to the baseboard in which position it is retainedby support means such as chains, the

cover being surrounded by side boards with which co-operate means forurging the contained maps, documents and the like against the cover forpermanent positioning.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective of the document case of my invention in openposition, showing various documents in position in the interior thereof;and

Fig. 2 is a perspective, on a slightly smaller scale, showing thedocument case of my invention in closed position.

Although the document case of my invention is susceptible of utilizationunder many difierent circumstances and in a variety of environments, itis ordinarily exceedingly useful inside a room having a sufiicientlysubstantial wall so that there can be mounted thereon and securedthereto, either temporarily or permanently, a baseboard 6. Thisbaseboard can be fabricated of appropriate material, and conveniently isof wood, finished in an appropriate manner to harmonize with itssurroundings.

Along the upper edge of the baseboard 6 there is secured an overhangingledge I adjacent which in its closed position a cover 8 is adapted ablyfastened for such movement by means of a plurality of hinges 9 parts ofwhich are secured to the baseboard B and the other parts of which arepreferably secured to one side wall II of a plurality of such side wallsI2, I3 and I4 which are disposed on the marginal edges of the cover 8.

To hold the cover in an established open position and preferably insubstantially a horizontal plane, there is secured to the baseboard 6 apair of supporting chains I6 and I! which are also secured to the sidewall I2 and which are so located as to be disposed within thecompartment defined by the baseboard 6, the cover 8 and all of the sidewalls II, I2, I3 and I4 when the cover is in closed position. In suchclosed position the cover is temporarily retained by a pair of fastenersI8 and can be locked by a padlock I9 engaging a suitable pair offastenings ZI secured to the ledge I and the side wall I3 respectively.

In order to retain documents and comparable material within thecompartment when the structure is closed, and in order that they willnot be unduly dislodged when it is being opened and is retained in openposition, I provide a plurality of retaining means. Spanning the sidewalls l3 and I4 adjacent the side wall I is a panel 23 which extendspart way toward the side wall l2 and in efiect forms a pocket 24 withinwhich material can be inserted. On the side Walls I3 and I4 I provide apair of wedges 26 with which co-operate cams 21 located at the oppositeends of a .bar 28 of sufficient length to span the cover and adapted tobe pressed or urged toward the interior of the cover 8 so as to clamppapers and documents therebetween firmly in position, the co-operationof the cams 21 and the wedges 26 serving to accommodate papers anddocuments of different thicknesses and sizes.

In addition to the foregoing, I provide clamping means constituted by apair of plates 3| and 32 which are substantially identical so that butone need be described. The plate 3|, for example, is a rectangularmember connected by a pair of hinges 33 to the side wall I2 and adaptedin one position to lie immediately over any document or documents on thecover 8. To retain the plate 3| in such closed position, and also toretain it in open position as shown by the plate 32 in Fig. 1, I providea pair of springs 34 and 36. Each of the springs 34 and 36 is at one endconnected to one of two staples 31 located adjacent the free end of theplate 3| and at the other end fastened on the opposite side of the axisof the hinges 33 by a suitable fastening (not shown) in a recess 38 cutin the side wall I2. This location of the springs 34 and 36 is efiectiveto urge I the contents are available when the closures 1-8 are operatedand the lock I9 is opened. At that time the cover 8 moves downwardlyinto its horizontal position as shown in Fig. 1, being supported by thehinges 9 and the chains, l6 and IT. The various documents which arepositioned therein are held either within the pocket 24 orv by the bar28 or by the leaves 3| and 32. Upon release of these members, or theappropriate one or ones of them, the documents can be removed and can bespread upon the table formed by the interior of the cover 8 for perusal.

I claim:

A document case comprising an upstanding baseboard, a ledge extendingalong the top thereof, a cover, side walls upstanding from the marginsof said cover, hinges connecting. one of said side walls and saidbaseboard, fasteners for holding another of said side walls adjacentsaid ledge, wedges on remaining ones of said side walls, a bar extendingacross said cover, and cams on said .bar for engaging said wedges toforce said'bar against said cover when advanced.

PAUL D. BARRETT.

